The Jedi & The Sith (Star Wars 1)
by BuPias
Summary: "The Jedi & The Sith" is the first story in a series of short fan fiction works evolving around the love present in some of the most famous Star Wars characters. This one tells you the story of Palpatine aka Darth Sidious and Marilla The Jedi in three different perspectives: The Present, The Past and The Future. They must unveil their destiny together.
1. Part one: The Present (1)

**The Jedi & The Sith**

55 BBY

DISCLAIMER: Some of these characters and world building belong to LucasFilm/Disney. The only fictional being created by me is Marilla, The Jedi, even though her species and appearance are entirely George Lucas's fault! (For that I thank him :D) and also the merchant Baldo. (The workings of the Oracle Stone due to lack of information are also original.

"The Jedi & The Sith" is the first story in a series of short fan fiction works evolving around the love present in some of the most famous Star Wars characters. This one tells you the story of Palpatine aka Darth Sidious and Marilla The Jedi in three different perspectives: The Present, The Past and The Future. They must unveil their destiny together: Why were they brought to one another? Why can't they use the Force when together? Palpatine and Marilla are bound by futuristic influential love.

Part one: The Present

 **Her**

Sitting on the first stool of General Marsoo's eatery counter, Marilla, the Padawan, sips on a cool stored liquor, waiting. Occasionally she observes the rest of the place, dirty, dysfunctional and brown. Property of the poor General, who's rich enough for only one servant, himself. It couldn't possibly be clean like home.

Born in Shili, Marilla went to Coruscant very, very young to become a Jedi, like her father. He left when she was a baby to pursue the dream, but she never saw him again, who knows where he is now. Who knows if he's indeed a Jedi. Her mother died from the long journey to the planet so Marilla was taken by Master Yaddle, an old Jedi member of the Council. In Coruscant she looked for her father, but soon Marilla learned something else. A Jedi does not love; her father shall no longer be a concern. Yet, what brings her to this place isn't far from being considered a love mission.

Marilla has some of the most haunting features in the galaxy. She's a Togruta, a beautiful and rare one. Birthmarks cover her face in brownish lines on her cheeks, reminding everyone of an exotic animal. Instead of hair she has three lekku head tails that finish off in a crown on top of her head, they are stripped of a light purple, and they're long. Very long. The rest of her is much too ordinary, except for the Force, that's a feature she's glad doesn't show.

Marilla's hand caresses her most precious possession under the covers and the leather belt. She rotates the drink, thinking about what she came here to do. Ice clatters.

The Jedi looks over to the last client of the day. 'Probably a bounty hunter looking for trouble.' The man and General Brass Marshoo talk quietly about the best routes to Cloud City for a while. Then, the man stands pulling his dirty glass away.

"Anyway, it was bombad talk to yousa, Admiral." (Anyway, it was good talking to you, Admiral.) The General says, cleaning up the glass with a piece of cloth.

'An Admiral?' She wonders.

"You too Brass, keep on the good work." The Admiral notices Marilla staring and offers her a tip of his hat. She raises her glass in return and takes a final sip.

The place is empty, 'Finally.' She's been waiting for this all day. Leaving the glass on the counter, Marilla walks to meet Marshoo, he's one of the most well informed people in Naboo. A Gungan of the color yellow. 'The perfect assistance.'

"Ganna missa getin yousa anyth else, ma'am?" (Can I get you anything else, ma'am?)

He speaks in the Gungan dialect.

"I need to find a man."

"Missa m afraid da s no da kind of service weesa offer. And look at da time! Weesa re practical clos." (I'm afraid that's not the kind of service we offer. And look at the time! We're practically closing.) He stares at his wrist, stripped of any sort of watch.

"Who's we?" She asks daring.

"Excuse missa?" (Excuse me?)

"Look General, I'm a good person with a lot of means, so even if you don't want to help, I won't push it. But I really need to know about this man, otherwise I can't prove myself right." She reaches for the side of her belt and retreats what she has been holding below the robes. She places it on the table, carefully. It's an unlit lightsaber. Marshoo jumps back in response. "He's name is Palpatine."


	2. Part one: The Present (2)

**Him**

Palpatine is a quiet man. His favorite hobby? Power. Something he hasn't quite mastered yet, but eventually will.

"Come on apprentice, think about your enemies. How will you hurt them?"

He focuses on a small baby wookie, strapped to a table in front of him. Master Darth Plagueis has been training his most vicious skills, he has increased the Dark Side in Palpatine, and soon he'd be a Master too.

The furry baby rolls over screaming in complaining mixtures of sound, known as their language. There's no pity in Palpatine's eyes, much less in his Master's.

Palpatine, young and vigorous, a red headed human with blue eyes, will soon become a true Sith Lord. A Sith who shall rule the Galaxy, a Sith on his way to Senate.

"You remember your teachings, Palpatine. My time is not to be wasted." The Master could easily get on his nerves, like a bug flying over his head, annoying, annoying, annoying. And that wasn't good for his concentration.

The apprentice raises his hand aiming it at the Wookie. He starts to close it, as the little guy twitches in his straps and the neck rises tight, choking.

"That's it. Now hold it. Hold the Force."

The furry creature screeches in pain, and after a few seconds, it falls back on the table, dead. The Master, sitting on his black stone throne, stands not noticing is very exhausted apprentice. His long head covered by a rope

"I must address some affairs, Palpatine. That'll be all for today."

Master Plagueis leaves not even facing Palpatine or his work. The apprentice breathes heavily, sweat running down his face. Once he's alone he reaches for the dead wookie and clasps his hand around the creature's neck. A smirk reveals itself on his face. Palpatine throws the corpse away, to the middle of the dark room where he hopes someone will pick it up and get scared at the poor animal.

The Lasay Swamp, a quiet place surrounded by death, Palpatine's favorite kind of environment. There are grey lakes and rotten whipping trees. He sits back on a rock thinking about what's not there, what's lost forever. In his mind, there's only darkness followed by the memories of starvation and hunger his Master helped him surpass. His family, dead by his own hands. If he keeps on dueling these thoughts, the roads to becoming a 'masterless' Sith won't be easy. But Plagueis trusts him, when probably he shouldn't. The handle of his saber grows cold in his grip.

"You're too silent."

Palpatine is taken by surprise with the female voice. There's no one behind these plants, in this dreadful place. He turns to face her.

"Who?"

"It's me Palpatine, you don't recognize an old friend?"

Beyond the shadows a slim figure crosses the trees involved in cloth and long tentacles. She's a familiar face, one that Palpatine hasn't seen for a very long time, not since he was a child, not since he enrolled in the Youth Program at Theed University. He must have been around sixteen last time he saw her. She was still owner of a hypnotizing beauty. Eleven years, an eternity marked by real changes in his life, but no apparent changes in hers.

"Marilla."

"Wow, you remember my name. Didn't think you would, after your brain washing." She swiftly sits next to him on an adjacent rock.

He's not in the mood for coded conversations. He sighs. "What are you talking about?"

"I hear you're a Sith now."

This takes Palpatine by surprise. No one's supposed to know about his training; Darth Sidious is to be a completely different person and a secret identity. Anyone knowing will hurt his chances at being a Senator. He needs to earn the people's respect before owning their fear.

"What do you mean?" He can tell she notices his worries.

"You're training with Darth Plagueis, aren't you?"

"Of course not!"

"There can only be two Sith Lords in the galaxy, Palpatine: The apprentice and the Master. You're the apprentice, I know!"

"This is absurd! What are you doing here? What do you want? After all this time!"

She flinches at that, not expecting the harsh words. "I need you're help Palpatine."

Palpatine chuckles, at such a silly statement. "Never!"

"Why not? It's everyone's dream to help a Jedi." Marilla narrows her eyes, daring.

"You're not a Jedi. As far as I know you're still learning."

"Yes, I am still a Padawan."

"And why is that Marilla? One decade has passed, you're no longer attached to your Master, but you aren't one either." He spits the words with anger and disgust. The Jedi turn his stomach around, especially this one.

"I came on a special mission, at the request of the council."

"They asked you to come and discover if I'm a Sith?"

"Palpatine, common people wouldn't know about the Sith in detail. But you do."

"I'm not a common person." He stares ahead not being able to face her.

"You know, because I told you about them. A long time ago, remember?"

Palpatine remembers it, but it's hard to see it clearly, like every other memory. It's much too dark.

"The fact that you decided to seek for this Master of yours, it's no surprise to me. I've been with the Force since I was a child, I felt it when we first met, that you were inclined to use it. Except you'd never be a Jedi. So, your secret, or whatever you feel this dark life of yours is, is safe with me."

Palpatine frowns at her, confused.

"The reason I'm still a padawan, comes from deep inside of me." She touches her chest, her eyes piercing Palpatine, glowing. "A Jedi can't show love. Even if I hold my own padawans, I'm to be serene. _There is no emotion, there is peace. There's no ignorance, There's knowledge.-_ "

"I know the damn code!" He says stopping her.

"Okay… My Master says I can't be a full Jedi unless I remember that everyday. She told me to forget about my father. But there's one person I never forgot, someone I can't forget. And it's hurting my chances."

Marilla grabs his hand and a spark flies through both their bodies, it could be the Force, it could be something else.

"I haven't forgotten about you, Palpatine. I can't. And it hurts."

Her brows frown in a beautiful, worried and hurt manner. Palpatine stares at her trying to fight the hatred, trying to understand. But he's not sixteen-year-old Palpatine anymore. He's a Sith Lord now. He's on the Dark side.


	3. Part one: The Present (3)

**Her**

They reach his apartment in maybe an hour, a strange choice for a descendent of house Palpatine. She remembers him telling her about the big house in Convergence, but this was small and modest place. The distinctiveness in each of Naboo's venues is like black and white. Even in it's people. And Palpatine's new found home didn't match his insane search for power.

"What a beautiful place." Marilla marvels at one big chandelier. "When did you get it?"

"Not long ago." The Hatred in his voice hasn't disappeared since they left the swamp. They are walking what feels like ages and continue through the corridors of the small place.

"Did he make you do it?"

"What?"

"Kill your parents?"

Palpatine stops in his way to the main room. He sighs.

"No. I did that on my own." He speaks the truth, she know it had been a hidden crime, one that would hurt his chances at becoming anything important. She also realizes he isn't lying to her any longer. 'Why?'

Palpatine continues to walk towards a big window; it provides a view over Naboo like no other. "This is why I got it."

Marilla joins him. The city beautiful in the dark, filled with lights and life. "This seems very contrary to your personality, Palpatine."

"Don't call me that."

"Then, what am I suppose to call you? You have no other name, do you?"

"You know very well I do." He turns to Marilla, grabbing her by the wrist, forcefully. "What do you want, Marilla?"

She opens her hand in a fast reflex throwing him across the room. Realizing her doing, Marilla runs to Palpatine, fallen on his back trying to stand up. "Are you insane?" he yells.

"I'm so sorry, Palpatine. Sometimes it's hard to control it." She puts a hand on his arm helping him. But he doesn't need help.

Palpatine raises his hand towards her neck and squeezes the air, just like he did in his morning training. She struggles to find air, her neck tightening. The Dark Side of the Force is hard to reach, so she gets to her lightsaber instead. Tucked well in her robes, she grabs it and turns it on with effort. *SWOOSH* A bright celestial blue comes to life. Marilla swings at Palpatine, forcing him to drop the hand and lose focus.

She breathes heavily on the ground, grabbing her throat and dropping the saber next to them. Palpatine stares at her, weak and then at his hands. His breathing controlled, but a tiny bit scared.

"Don't. Do that. Again." Marilla tries.

He seems lifeless. Why aren't they in an involved fight? 'What is wrong?' she allows herself to wonder.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Palpatine asks facing his hands with a blank stare. "I was powerful! I was controlling it!" this time he screams facing her.

Marilla turns her own hand to him, defenseless. There's an understanding look in her eyes. "It's alright, I feel it too. The weakness, whenever I think of you. That's what we need to fix. That's why I need your help."

Palpatine looks at her with mad eyes. Standing up he leans over Marilla who's still on the ground, hand turned to him.

"Please…" she begs.

"I have no weakness! My name is Darth Sidious! Nothing can stop me, much less a traitor, a padawan!"

"Sidious?" tears grow in Marilla's eyes. "Is that what you want to be called from now on? Huh? When was I ever a traitor, Palpatine?"

Palpatine screams in rage grabbing her once again by the neck through the means of the Force. He reaches for his saber and lights it an intense red. He's ready to strike her, but something stops him. A strong migraine reaches his head and he bows in pain. Marilla drops with a thump on the floor trying to catch her breath. She crawls to get her weapon while he screams in pain.

"That's it, Palpatine! That's what happens! It's some sort of a disease!" She explains while pulling the saber towards her.

Palpatine grabs his saber and tries to strike her again despite the pain, but she stops him just in time. Blue clashing against red. Jedi vs. Sith.

"What is it?" he asks madly.

"Master Yaddle, tells me it's a rare happening. That it can only be explained by destiny. We need to fix it. Otherwise I can't be named a Master Jedi by the council."

They both struggle to hold their ground and not give in to the other one's lightsaber.

"Why?"

"She says it's love."

The word "love" echoes in Marilla's mind, and she witnesses as Palpatine finishes this fight peacefully, by turning off his saber and walking away from her.


	4. Part one: The Present (4)

**Him**

"How can we solve this?" They sit on a long red velvet couch with no back. Palpatine isn't sure if it is love indeed. But something is throwing off his dark senses and he's drawn to Marilla in such an unexpected way. Something he thought was way beyond him.

"Master Yaddle, said that the introspective journey would help, but that I could only get a proper solution if I reunited with you. So far it hasn't made a difference." She looks at him with those big eyes and he's feeling her stare in his skin, the Force is lighter when she's around, that much he is sure. "What do you think we should do?"

He pulls away from her, decided not to give in to her enchantments. "I didn't even know about this before you came along! How am I suppose to fix it?" his anger grows "I don't have time for you, Marilla!" But the words feel raw in his mind. He is lying, and she knows when he lies.

"I might have an idea."

Palpatine opens his arms relieved. "Alright! What is it?"

"Have you ever heard of the Sith Oracle Stone?"

He faces her frowning with his crazy eyes. 'Is she crazy?' he asks. That kind of power… and behind his Master's back? "No." He nods.

"Palpatine, please."

"I don't need this. As long as you're not here, I will be powerful!"

"Look at me," she pleads. "you clearly forgot about me, but I haven't forgotten about you. That means our past isn't buried, as much as we try to hide it. Now that you know about this, you too won't be able to forget."

Palpatine nears her, his face close to hers, his breath reaching her small nose. "I do not love you Marilla."

"That may be, but _I_ love you. And we're both affected by it."

Marilla's hands grab his cheeks. They're warm, just has he remembers. She pulls him to her, kissing him passionately. Her tongue touches his, revolving around in a mixture of sparks. She tastes sour and sweet like the Muja fruit that grew on the back garden of his house. A place he now remembers clearly, there's no dark surrounding it like before. He recalls the days at University, his sister's laugh, the excitement of learning about the law.

Palpatine takes Marilla on his arms, laying her down on the couch while she rubs her hands through his red hair. They feel each other clearly, Palpatine's mind is light and he can't seem to pull away. He doesn't want to pull away. Their breath is heavy on each other's neck. There's only a magnet force pushing him against her.

He removes her robes and then her top, and finally her belt. The lightsaber falls back on the floor but neither of them seems to care. When facing her naked chest Palpatine stares at it for a moment. 'You're weak, Palpatine' he thinks, but his thoughts aren't daunting. They just prove something he had been afraid to admit. With his finger he traces some of her birthmarks and then stares into her eyes. Marilla grabs his head kissing him once more. She removes his dark outfit and then his bottoms.

In that moment, in that couch, Marilla and Palpatine are one. They roll over each other, producing indescribable sounds none of them has ever made before. They interact with pleasure and unite each other in a disgusting but exciting way. Marilla's touch is like fireworks on his skin but just as he's about to enter her, the dark comes back to his eyes and the anger makes him squeeze her arms drawing blood, as his eyes go red.

Marilla pushes him back with The Force, grabbing her bloody arm. "Ahhh!" she complains, naked. Vulnerable.

Palpatine looks at her, at his hands and instantly regrets it. But then he regrets regretting it. "What did you make me do?"

"We both did it Palpatine." She stands. Naked, and walks towards him also naked on the floor. "You love me, and I love you. I don't know why. I'm not supposed to. You've done so many bad things and I was born to serve, but you… You're evil, a Sith. Something about us is destined, like you're meant to be mine and I'm meant to be yours. Like that - " she points at the couch " – is what we're supposed to do every single day of our lives. When we were young, I rejected you but never to forget, Palpatine. Maybe this is all my fault, maybe I've hurt our chances at being what we were really meant to be. Or maybe I'm to blame for our lonely lives. Either way, I don't blame _you_ , but I expect you to help me finish it."

Palpatine looks at her, there's seriousness in her eyes. She's above him, and still she's the one begging. "If it helps us both." He'd never just offer his assistance to another, unless they were his apprentices, so he just convinced that above all this was a good thing for himself.


	5. Part one: The Present (5)

**Her**

After the intense night, they decided to stay separate, with only a few words exchanged. In the morning, Marilla walks to the big window and observes the landscape this time the busy air of Naboo during the day. She wonders about their past and reminds herself of her duties. She is soon to be a Jedi, that's what's in focus. Seeking Palpatine was a desperate measure, everything will be fixed in no time and Master Yaddle will be proud of her.

Marilla turns to the couch and notices the saber handler on the floor. She picks it up and swings it creating a perfect beam of blue. It reminds her of the waters in Coruscant, her home since she was very little. Although, Naboo was much more rural than the Jedi headquarters' planet, they were still pretty similar and prosperous.

Marilla jumps maneuvering the lightsaber behind her back. A new move she learned recently on a Master Class with Master Yoda himself. She admired him immensely, but her own Master Yaddle was Marilla's prime role model. No one knew where Yoda and Yaddle came from, but Marilla often wondered about the couple.

"We must get going." Palpatine's intense voice hasn't changed since last night.

He crosses the hallway, Palpatine laid off his dark robes to wear a deep blue cover up with golden details. Marilla however is still in her Jedi uniform, almost ready for battle, free of armor but also free of color.

She stares at him, mesmerized.

On their way to the hangar Palpatine tells her about the Oracle Stone.

"The Stone contains an extreme power, that's why it belongs to the Sith. It is not to be played with."

She rolls her eyes at that. He notices.

"Because that's what you Jedi do, play." He waits for a response but she turns away. "When we get there, we must not reveal our true intentions or we might create some enemies. So you should probably leave you saber in the ship."

Her eyes turn to him again in misunderstanding and anger. "What?! Absolutely not!"

"Marilla!"

"No. I will not leave this behind! I'll hide it with me!"

They stare at each other for a moment. For her surprise he sighs. "Alright."

They stop in front of a big ship. It's shiny silver with red stripes and a narrow front side. A Yacht.

"Aren't we supposed to lay low?" She asks confused and marveled at the expensive ship.

"We are going to pass as rich merchants, looking for the stone to sell. It's better than what we truly are." He explains.

"A Jedi and a Sith." She confirms.

"A Sith and a Padawan."

He dares her, and she likes it. With a tiny smile, Marilla walks onto the open platform of the ship.

They are going to the planet Corellia in the Corellian system, a place thriving of missing and especially dangerous artifact sellers. Marilla isn't sure about this, but nothing alerts her of any bad intentions from Palpatine. So she decides to relax enjoying the ride and the stars.

"What do you think it will do?" She asks him, both sitting in the control cockpit. But he's riding.

"I thought you knew."

"Well, I know it's supposed to help you with your clairvoyance. But how does it do that?"

"I don't know." Palpatine is an expert in dry responses.

"It should help us, I'm sure."

"Does your master know you have sought me?" He doesn't take his eyes from the front viewer.

"She knows I came to fix my senses, but she doesn't know who's helping me, or how I'm going to do it. That, I discovered on my own."

He seems a bit relieved at that. Marilla wonders if hiding this from her Master is the right decision, but she knows once she reaches Coruscant, she'll have to tell the council, and maybe they'll even commend her for discovering the Sith. It's strange to think about giving Palpatine away, but soon enough that will change and she'll no longer be in love with him.


	6. Part one: The Present (6)

**Him**

Palpatine thanks a tall servant in Corellia's main hanger for his assistance with the ship. That was a quiet ride. She refused his lightsaber order, which surprised him quite a bit, but why didn't he fight her. He couldn't let her be armed like that, they'd be made up and if his Master ever knew of their affairs... What a disaster it would be. So, Palpatine reaches for a couple of chains hanging by the side of their vehicle.

"What is that?" She asks.

"You'll be my slave."

"What? Weren't we rich merchants looking for the stone?"

He grabs her arm, but not as violently as the night before. "You won't refuse this. With your vests you're either a Jedi or a slave, and guess which one you definitely don't want to be today?" He reaches for her neck with the open chain collar.

"No."

He's appalled that she would stand her ground like that. Doesn't she know who he is? But the thought vanishes when he remembers young Marilla, an image that has been haunting him since the night before.

"Please." He asks raging his teeth at some cost. That's nothing a Sith or a politician would say.

She's still holding on to her daring stare, but he notices a glimpse of surprise. Marilla unites her wrists in front of him. "No way I'm putting that on my neck."

He clips the collar around her hands and grabs on to the chains taking her with him. Exiting the hanger they reach a lively market place, filled with merchants and costumers. Different species bring out the colors in Corellia, there are flying Toydarians and droids following they're masters, some beeping others talking immensely. Palpatine observes Marilla looking down behind him. 'She's embarrassed.' A Jedi is not to express they're feelings lightly, yet Marilla seems to have done nothing but that for the past few hours. Everyone stares at the slave and some comment on Palpatine's vests.

After crossing half the market they reach the destination. A small stand hidden by shadows and a big awning. Palpatine approaches the wooden counter joined by Marilla at his side. In front of them an old fat man sits playing with a laser gun, he observes it closely with a monocle.

Palpatine clears his throat seeking the man's attention. The elder is bald and filled with birthmarks on his face, not like Marilla's these are ugly and grotesque. He sits upon a floating chair that takes him anywhere just with a simple thought. He notices Palpatine and Marilla.

"Oh, what can I do for ya, younglings?" he departs from the shadows reaching them not removing the monocle from his eye.

"Hello, my name is Paolo, a merchant from Taris. I'm looking for a special object I think you might know something about." Palpatine states.

The man observes Marilla, his eyes analyzing her head to toe.

"And who's that?" He points his chin to the Jedi.

"This is my slave."

The man narrows his eyes and Palpatine reaches for his lightsaber below the robe.

"All right. Follow me please." He shoots them a wide smile with the dirtiest teeth Palpatine has ever had to face.

The man takes them underground through a passageway below the stand outside. He never leaves his chair floating down the hole on the ground not needing any support. For the Sith and the Jedi there's a metal ladder on the side.

After climbing out the ladder Palpatine carefully pulls on Marilla's chains helping her down. He extends is hand to her so she won't fall, she looks at it and jumps down refusing his help. 'A Sith' Palpatine has to remind himself.

"So what is this object ya're looking for?" the man turns on a fluorescent light, which flickers revealing the dirtiest place Palpatine has ever seen. There are mechanical parts everywhere, a stone table in the middle filled with project plants and a few artifacts Palpatine doesn't recognize at first.

"It's something known as the Oracle Stone." Palpatine tells him, pretending not to feel bothered by the filth.

The man stares at Palpatine curious. "What makes ya think I know about this stone?"

"You're the great Baldo, aren't you? Official trader for the Hutts and big artifact connoisseur, I believe you know a lot about this stone."

Baldo's expression changes at the sound of the words "the Hutts", Palpatine knows how much employees of the Hutts wish to keep their identities secret. As an aspiring politician he holds a couple of important names under his belt, Baldo was one of those.

"Alright, maybe I do know something about the Oracle Stone, but I can't tell ya I don't have it with me."

"I didn't expect you would. But you can tell me where I can find it?"

"Yeah sure I can, but what's in it for me, rich man?"

Palpatine shoots a complied looks at Marilla. "I have some money."

"Mmmmm…" Baldo caresses his chin thinking. "Sure, I'd be down for some cred. But I want something else too."

Palpatine nods allowing him the proposition.

Baldo points at Marilla. "I want the slave."


	7. Part one: The Present (7)

**Her**

Marilla couldn't believe her ears. This freaky man wanted her in exchange for information? She never encountered slaves, she didn't know of their hard life of how they can be easily traded by the most insignificant thing.

She stares at Palpatine worried. 'Could he really?' Palpatine doesn't return the look.

"A slave is not worth that type of information."

"Fine, then forget about the cred, I'll just keep her." Baldo floats, approaching Marilla. She stares at the chains, there's no way she'll get rid of them soon enough to reach for the saber, so she scavenges the place with her eyes.

"She's not for sale, Baldo. That's final."

"Ya want the stone or not?" Baldo growls at him.

Marilla finally sets her stare in an object close to the stone table, a metal jar. Focusing on it she lets the Force guide her thoughts and her will, the jar trembles once, it trembles twice and at the third time it lifts the ground shaky.

"I will not willingly give you my slave. Now, tell me about the stone." Palpatine faces Baldo with a raging look.

The metal jar floats through the air now.

Baldo laughs. "Look, I don't do business lightly-" the jar knocks Baldo in the head violently, dropping him from the floating chair. "Arggghhhh."

"Marilla!" Palpatine screams leaving the chains for his lightsaber.

Baldo pushes himself up using the fat hands. "I knew you weren't his slave! You're a Jedi!"

Palpatine lights up his saber red. "You're wrong. I'm a Sith." He leans on the man on the floor putting the saber's beam close to his neck.

"A Sith Lord? But that's impossible! They're extinct!"

"Oh, does it look like I'm extinct?" Palpatine's mad look is back on his face. He reaches for his pocket throwing the chains keys to Marilla.

The girl catches them mid-air and tries to unchain herself.

"She a Sith too?" Baldo asks.

"Does it matter? Where's the Stone?"

"Oh!" Baldo chuckles "I get it now! The stone. Well, it's Sith legacy, ya should know."

"But it's lost, Baldo and so is my tolerance!" He raises his saber ready to strike.

"Wait!" Marilla calls. "You can't do that!"

"Why?" Palpatine stops just in time.

"He's… I can't…"

"Marilla!" her attitude is proving his weakness. "This man will die, stone or no stone."

Marilla notices the Sith's eyes, they're turning a bright red.

"Wait, wait!" Seems as if Baldo as noticed them too. "I'll tell ya, just spare my poor life, please. I have children!"

"Palpa-" Marilla tries.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Palpatine screams. "I cannot spare you, Baldo. You've made my identity!"

"I won't tell anyone I promise!" he begs.

"And how can I be sure of that, huh?" Palpatine holds the saber tight, by Baldo's fat neck.

"If he says anything you'll tell everyone about his involvement with The Hutts!" Marilla comes up with the solution fast. She can't witness this death and not intervene; her light side won't let her.

"Marilla go outside." Palpatine asks in a raging whisper.

"What?"

"GO NOW!"

His red eyes fixate on her and her mind clears only to be filled by a dark cloud. Everything around her disappears but her legs move still, she feels the ladder on her hands and her brain screams "No!" but her mouth keeps shut. Once she feels the air of the outside world she's thrown out into the street her vision becoming clear again. She blinks trying to get used to the light again. As she regains her sight, Marilla tries to reach for the passageway entry hatch only to see it close shut again by the Force. Palpatine was protecting her.


	8. Part one: The Present (8)

**Him**

He killed Baldo in cold blood, his hands strong and his mind dark. A grin overing his face. And he knows of the stone.

Palpatine puts away his lightsaber and stares at the fat body sliced in half in front of him. His senses were back, and he was right, all he needed was Marilla away from him.

He opens the hatch with the Force and sees Marilla crawling to him grabbing his face while he tries to feel the sun. With a simple hand move he pushes her away.

"It's done."

"What do you mean it's done? Did you kill him?" there's a regretfully terrorized look on her face. Seeing this Palpatine feels light again.

He reaches the ground level throwing her the slave chains he brought back from down below. "We'll talk on the ship."

Marilla picks up the chains vexed, but does not fight him.

Back on the yacht ship, Palpatine strips of his robe to reveal dark clothing underneath. Marilla gets rid of her chains as soon as they enter it. And she seeks explanations.

"Did you kill him?" She tries once again.

"Yes." Palpatine acts indifferent in her presence.

"Why?"

"Because we can't all have what we want now, can we?"

"You didn't have to kill him!" She screams.

Palpatine grabs her by the arms in between the cockpit. "My life, my career depend on my will to keep a secret, I'll do anything to conceal my learning."

"Then, why haven't you killed _me_?" that is a question Palpatine has been debating with since the night before.

He sights and turns from her grabbing his tired temples.

"Do you love me, Palpatine? I know you do. But I'd like you to confirm it."

He laughs madly. "Come on Marilla! I have no idea why you're Master told you what she did, but clearly there's something wrong with the Dark side of the Force in me. _That's_ why I'm here."

"You're mad. You've changed."

"Surprise, surprise."

They keep silent for a moment. Palpatine sits on the control chair. This love story doesn't convince him. Since very young he has been stripped of love, even from his family. Whatever the oracle stone says about their destiny, it better be useful and it better fix his senses. He can't show up for another training with Master Plagueis feeling like this, with Marilla on his mind all the time. He remembers Balso's words.

"He said the stone was last reported in the planet Korriban, that he has tried to obtain it but it's power doesn't allow it to leave the planet. Unless, of course, you're a Sith. We'll go there now."

"Good." Marilla states sitting beside him, eyes forward.

"I should've guessed." She ignores him. "Korriban is the home planet of the Siths. I should've known." Somehow he waits for her reassuring words, but there's nothing.

Palpatine starts the engines.


	9. Part one: The Present (9)

**The Stone**

The planet of Korriban is a place of arid weather and red sand. The terrain is harsh and the winds intense. It's possible to hear the howls of Tuk'ata and all around there are ancient statues and engravings. After searching for the rightful place Palpatine lands the ship near the ruins of a Sith burial temple. Baldo told him this was the house of the Oracle stone, right in the middle of the Valley of the Dark Lord. That he had sent a team down there to search for the item, but they never returned.

The backside of the ship opens, letting Palpatine into his world. He extends his arms embracing the sandy air and the orange sunlight. Breathing in, his eyes turn momentarily red when feeling the environment. After him, Marilla steps out of the ship holding on to her robes because of the wind. As soon as she steps the sand something weakens her, her legs start to tremble and the dark Force hits her like a punch. She stumbles kneeling on the ground.

This planet represents the home of the Sith, the home of the dark Force, a Jedi does not belong here. Marilla's head starts spinning and her vision is blurred. Palpatine notices the fallen Jedi, and he too feels a strange tingling to his stomach. But he doesn't cave; the dark force is stronger than it has ever been.

"Let's go." He claims coldly.

She looks up at Palpatine, scared by his raging look. With effort she pushes herself up, fighting the dizziness. Palpatine starts walking towards the entrance of the temple, Marilla follows him pushing the wind and the sand. They make for the entrance of the temple, high above them ancient Sith engravings dictate what's inside. Marilla tries to keep up with Palpatine who thrives forward not looking back.

They walk in the darkness, Marilla shaking the darkness away from her thoughts, tumbling on every little stone and Palpatine embracing the power, breathing his ancient roots. A few minutes into the temple they reach an open room, the red light of the sun coming from above. There's a single square tomb in the center of it, and a small stone carefully placed above it. The Oracle Stone is perfectly round and colored of a dark red; it fits on a single hand.

Reaching the tomb, Palpatine nears it.

"Has he told you how to proceed?" Marilla's voice trembles.

No, Baldo didn't tell Palpatine what to do. But something draws him to it, like he's hypnotized. His legs keep on moving and his mind clears. His hand reaches it, but there's a scream.

"PALPATINE!" it's Marilla.

His gaze shuts down and he turns quickly grabbing and lighting up his saber. Behind her there's a vicious beast grabbing her by the neck. Two big horns come out of his mouth, his hands crush her with giant claws and on his back there are several spines growing out. It's a Terentatek.

The animal growls as Marilla grunts in pain. She's weak from the planet, from the Dark side of the Force and now she's on the verge of death by this hungry beast. She thinks of Palpatine and her hope fades, this is Sith territory his senses are strong, he'd never help her, but she's wrong.

"LEAVE HER!" He screams, saber in hand.

The Terentatek faces him.

"Leave her now, beast!"

The animal drops Marilla violently and jumps towards Palpatine. The Sith strikes him several times as he growls and runs around him angrily. As Palpatine fights it, Marilla tries to assist him and she reaches for the saber, but it isn't there. 'Where did it go?' she wonders. It must have fallen when she was under Palpatine's influence in Baldo's shop. 'Damn it!' She thinks of a solution.

"Hey Beast! Come here!" the Terentatek turns to a very weak Marilla.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Palpatine screams, sweating from all the strikes.

"I'm distracting him." She says as the animal runs forward in mad rage.

Watching this, Palpatine lets his thoughts wonder. 'She could die, right now and all my problems would be solved. There would be no clues that it was a Sith, just an animal she couldn't fight when searching for the stone.' But then again his thoughts of darkness are invaded by pity, sympathy and a tingling feeling in stomach. 'I can't… let her…'

"DIE!" he screams launching his saber forward as a spear. The red light pierces the Terentatek in the back and the beast squeals in pain falling right before he reaches Marilla.

When the animal stumps the floor and the dust is set, Marilla looks upon a scared Palpatine, his hands shaking and his stare blank. Trying to not show it, the Sith approaches the carcass and removes the light saber. Turning it off he focuses on grabbing the Orcale Stone. Slowly he approaches it.

Meanwhile Marilla observes the dead Terentatek, there's something daunting about it, such a huge beast killed by a single strike. Palpatine would never do that unless there was something else, now she is sure he does love her indeed. Lost in her thoughts Marilla is awaken by a big stump. She turns to see Palpatine by the tomb, the stone on the floor.

"What happened?" she asks approaching it. As she reaches the tomb her dizziness increases.

"Nothing." he says quickly, picking it up with the sleeve of his dark vests.

"Why did you drop it?"

Palpatine sighs.

"I didn't."

"Can you work with it?"

"Yes. I just have to touch it."

"Alright." Marilla tries to touch it herself. But Palpatine takes his hands away from her.

"No, not you! Only a Sith should touch it. That's why you came to me, am I right?"

"You know why I came to you Palpatine." She sights turns around and sits by the tomb on a little step.

"I'm sorry." He says and then, places his hand carefully on the cold stone.

It's smooth and so are his thoughts. There are dark clouds and unknown places; they come from his imagination, dark and mysterious. He sees the past, the murder of his family and then his thoughts aren't so light. He remembers his father's limbs cut and burnt, the smell, the screams and the dark power coming to him. And he tries to shake them off, those horrible thoughts only to land on Marilla. Her skin, her eyes, the crown shaped lekku… In front of him there are memories of a moment he never lived, a future time as they roll together in dust. She smiles, a tender expression he hasn't seen for a long time. It reminds him of a river and fireflies at night.

"I hope we do it right." Her voice echoes in these distant thoughts. She's naked facing him with her sweet eyes.

There's another Dark cloud, pulling him away from this vision. His mind is taken far from the scene. A sorrowful cry spreads through his head. It's a baby. He can't see it clearly in his mind, he sees the baby's fat and brownish feet, and he sees Marilla holding it in her arms a blanket covering the face.

"What should we call-" she's stopped by a voice. There's darkness while Palpatine wrestles to get back to that happy moment. Before he can do it, the dreadful face of Darth Plagueis screams at him. The Master has fire in his eyes, his long face daunting. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SIDIOUS? WHERE'S YOUR STRENGHT, WHY AREN'T YOU FIGHTING THE ENEMY, WHY ARE YOU WORKING WITH IT?"

Suddenly, everything turns dark once again, but there are no clouds just a void, a black void. Palpatine looks at his hands, the stone isn't there, but his clothing and his saber are. Turning around there's nothing.

"Darth Sidious!" A strong male voice echoes through the void.

Palpatine searches for a living form around him, there's no one.

"Who are you?" he asks.

"I'm the Sith's guide to clairvoyance…"

"The Stone?" he asks.

"I'm here to answer your dark hopeful questions."

Palpatine looks once again at his hands confused. "What should I do?"

"Ask your questions and I shall help you."

He takes a moment to think, there're so many questions he wishes answered. Will he ever reach the Senate? Will he ever be a powerful Sith? But his propose today is a different one.

"Why am I weak around her? Why can't I kill her?"

The voice is omnipotent, a stronger but invisible being. "Padawan Marilla you mean? I'm afraid what she's told you is the absolute truth. Your love for her is destined."

"BUT I DON'T LOVE HER!" He screams, veins popping out from his neck.

"But it's not your fault, it's destiny's, the way the universe works. You're a Sith aren't you, Darth Sidious? Falling in love is not in your plans, yet here you are. Not because you're helping yourself, you've had many opportunities to get rid of the Jedi, but you're helping _her_. Because you are meant to be here right now."

"Why?"

"For the baby of course. It needs to exist, it shall help a lot of people, and mainly it shall help you."

"A baby? With her? No."

"Darth Sidious, your destiny depends on the love you once had for this Jedi. You will not recover your full powers until you fulfill this destiny."

"Why not?"

"Because you won't be able to kill and because what you ought to do together will help you in the future, you and the entire Dark Side."

"How?"

"I'm afraid that's an issue for another time, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're supposed to clear the path."

"Oh, trust me. I have."

Palpatine embraces the confidence the stone rewards him, to clear another question. "Who's the blonde boy?"

"The blond boy?"

"When I grabbed you, just after I killed the Terentatek. I saw the face of a blonde boy. Is that the baby?"

"I'm afraid this question is out of my reach."

"PALPATINE!"

Like the turn off of a lightsaber, the void lights up. Above him there's the open sky in the temple and taken by the light there's Marilla, the Jedi.

"Palpatine, are you okay? What happened?"

She leans in his face in her hands. Palpatine thinks of the Stone's words, his explanation of his destiny, of the Dark Force's destiny. 'The baby it will help me recover the powers, it will influence my future.' He takes Marilla in his arms and puts his lips on her, both lying on the red dust, inside the temple. He murmurs in her ear: "To fix it, we must be one." And she replies sweetly "I hope we do this the right way". Here and now, the first future of Darth Sidious is about to be fulfilled and a baby is conceived.

 **Please leave me your thoughts on the first Part of my story :)**


	10. Part two: The Past (1)

**Part Two: The Past**

66 BBY – 1st Semester

 **Her**

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Marilla, the padawan, got out of her temporary bed to prepare a soothing tea for her Master. It was late and chilling so she put on a cozy robe and fetched the necessary items for the serving. Travelling has always been hard on Master Yaddle, the least Marilla could do was serve her as a good apprentice. Marilla was a beautiful Togruta, skilled in the ways of the force.

With her power she tried to pour the herbal tea into the cup. It was a hard thing to do, to focus on one object and make it act precisely as you wish. Usually her Master would tell her to use the training helmet that incapacitates her vision, but Marilla was sure she could do it this way. She was to become a powerful Jedi, the best female saber fighter in the galaxy.

Her concentration was not to be shaken as the tea poured nicely, fuming. Her right hand controls the action mid-air as her left hand holds down the cup.

Suddenly, there's a sound, a hollow thump behind her. She turns shattering the teapot flooding the kitchen counter. There was no hesitation as she grabbed the lightsaber on her belt and lit it up. Behind her there was someone sneaking in this lonely night at Theed University.

The Campus for Naboo's prime education facility was made of little houses that held students during their formative years. Master Yaddle's class of 66, from the Jedi Academy in Coruscant, was taking the yearly trip to assist the new graduating students. It was a serving activity Master Yaddle believed could help with some Jedi skills, allowing them to interact with non-users of the Force of the same age.

The distracting sound Marilla heard came from one of these students. An adolescent ginger boy was standing in the shadows behind her, hidden between a cabinet and a food container. Seeing the mess he caused, quickly he set himself to help her.

"I'm so sorry!" he leaned in to clean up the broken pieces of porcelain.

"No! That's okay!" She said, pushing him aside. "I'll do it. It's my job."

"Well, you're not a droid cleaner, are you?"

Marilla stopped shooting him a threatening look.

"That was joke, I'm sorry!" He said regretful.

They remained silent for a moment as the Togruta cleaned up her mess sending the shatters down the vacuum trashcan. Even with the deafening sound of porcelain banging against metal while being sucked away, there was still an awkward silence among them. The boy decided to break it. "So… how does it light up?"

"What?" Marilla responded still focused on her duty.

"The… lightsaber…" there was a strange tone in his voice as he said it.

She looked at him, with her eyes piercing. They were about the same age. "You just push the button." Marilla clicked the activation switch for the saber. A celestial blue lit up his face, and his eyes fixated on it mesmerized. To break him off the hypnosis, she switched it back off. "You should go to bed." She took on another teapot from a cabinet and filled it with hot water from the sink. It came fuming.

"Huh, shouldn't you be in bed too?" he asked teasing.

"I'm serving my Master, and I'm not a complementary student."

"Why are you here? The Jedi…"

"My class came to help with the finalists this year. Are you a finalist?"

"I will be… next year. Will you come then?"

She stopped her doing once more to fully analyze the boy. "No, it will be another class next year."

"Oh." He seemed disappointed.

With that, Marilla remembered what seemed like an important question. "Were you stalking me back there?"

He seemed taken aback by that. "No, not at all. I just couldn't sleep… I've never seen a Togruta in…" he gulped "… real life."

She chuckles at that. "Really?"

"Yeah… You have really pretty… Tentacles…?" he tried.

Marilla smiles at the innocence of him "Thank you. They're called lekku."

"Okay…" she could swear he was blushing a little bit.

After Marilla had successfully prepared the tea for her Master, with no Force necessary, she put the cup on a tray.

"Well it was nice to meet you…" she squinted, realizing they never really introduced each other.

"Palpatine." He smiled.

"Nice to meet you Palpatine. My name is Marilla." She leaned in curtsey and walked away. She could feel his eyes on her.

'If only he was a finalist.' She thought.


	11. Part two: The Past (2)

**Him**

The morning came fast. He was never late for anything, and he was proud of that commitment, even if most days all he wanted was to stay in bed. His father was one of those men few people dared to cross, if Father said, "Get up" Palpatine would. Coming to school his habits did not change, especially with such early classes. But this time he was late.

After getting properly dressed, Palpatine ran down the hallway and then the stairs. Pass the cantina, a lovely protocol droid was recollecting the food students didn't eat. Palpatine fetched a sweet bun out of her cart, having to put up with a high-pitched "Hey!" behind him.

He reached the outside auditorium just in time, as Principal Johnes was ready for his annual speech. The Principal stood on the center section of a wide stage in the auditorium, rows of seats below Palpatine. Next to him Jedi Master Yaddle, a green little creature of brown hair, sat in a chair too big for her size. Palpatine's teachers sat beside her upright and smiling. The place was filled with students from every year or level and on the right side of the stage there was a sitting area exclusive for the Jedi students. And there she was, smiling at one of her counter parts. Palpatine hadn't been able to forget her since the night before. The beautiful Togruta.

His gaze broke off as the microphone screeched letting everyone know it was time for Principal Johnes' moment to shine.

"Welcome new and old students, another year starts today. As always these are some happy times, which shall become fastidious when the end comes, for some of you are graduating this year to enroll into Naboo's Legislative Youth Program, while others are moving on to bigger events. As Principal of this prestigious house of learning I here by declare this to be a fantastic year for our finalists and an interesting one for our newly arrived students. As always, we welcome in our friends from the Jedi Academy in Coruscant, this year led by Master Yaddle." Master Yaddle stands and waves at the students, who clap respectfully at the Jedi. "Master Yaddle's class shall help our graduates with their house and school work so that they can dedicate some of the extra time to prepare employment or program applications. No violence will be permitted in TU, we shall respect the Jedi and their ways. Other lines of business include making sure you have your class schedules in order, so you can avoid long lines at the…"

Someone touched Palpatine's shoulder, distracting him from the Principal's speech. It was Mas Amedda, a blue Charigan from Champala and also Palpatine's best friend.

"You came in late!" he states hugging the red head.

"Mas! It's great to see you! How are you?"

"I'm all right, and extremely excited about this year."

"Shhh!" Some Twi'lek boy complained.

Mas pulled Plapatine with him and they walked towards one of the University gardens leaving the auditorium behind.

"You? Excited? I can't seem to believe that." Mas was probably one of the laziest people Palpatine has ever met.

"Aren't you? It's our last year at this torture then we'll start the Youth Program, and I heard there are some beautiful female older creatures there." He raised his eyebrow.

The word beautiful reminded Palpatine of the night before, of Marilla. "Well, I guess. I'm not sure I'm graduating this year though."

"What are you talking about, Palpatine? It's our last year! We've been in this place long enough if you ask me!" Mas was also one of the most excitable people Palpatine's ever met.

"Yes, but last year, after the cantina incident, Principal Johnes agreed to let me stay for one extra year as punishment, instead of expelling me right that day."

Mas chuckled at that. "Well, if I were him I'd want you out of here as fast as possible."

"You know my father, Mas, he'd kill me if I was ever to leave this place before graduation, he just wants what's best for me…" Palpatine's father would also kill him if he knew how his best friend truly was. Luckily, Mas never enrolled in Palpatine's crazy schemes to seek trouble.

Palpatine had been to the Principal's office at least fifty three times in the last three years, that wouldn't be inexcusable for any student, unless you were Palpatine. His father had always managed to change Johnes' mind, and with it there was always some kind of punishment, this being the worst one of all. Since they first enrolled in TU, Palpatine and Mas had been discussing their lives as members of the senate, possibly serving the Queen. This achievement kept drifting away as Palpatine always fell for the dark side of things and let himself be carried away by trouble.

"Well, I'm sorry you'll be staying for another year… But what will you do anyway?"

"Finish failed classes, I guess…"

"Boys?" Behind them a metallic sweet voice called out. It was a Hologram coming from an R7 unit, Professor Lufta Shif was talking in a shaky projected blue. "Please head down to your house's headquarters, we're assigning your Padawan servants now." The hologram shut down and R7 unit rolled back, probably to find more "Boys".

"Uh, can't wait to see mine." Mas rubbed his hands excitedly "Wait, but you're staying in the same household, aren't you?"

"Yes, don't worry we can still have late nights of X-wing sightings together, Mas!"

"Amazing!" he yelped.


	12. Part two: The Past (3)

**Her**

Every finalist was standing in the building's main room. Marilla had noticed the day before, when she arrived, that this was a large. About fifty rooms with private areas, one kitchen place and a cantina, plus the enormous common area they were standing in now. Not as big as the Academy, but bigger than what she'd expected. About sixty students and Padawans waited now to hear their fate.

Master Yaddle made the trip only optional for her students, but most of them came anyway. The option was because you were to be assigned as a helper to one of the finalists, even with Jedi being taught to serve some didn't take it well. Students from previous years warned Marilla that it could be hard at times to serve such ungrateful people such as the graduates of TU. Most of them had no idea of what was happening outside of Teeth, much less their planet. They had no idea of slaves or poverty; all they cared about was getting their work done in time. This scared Marilla. The night before while serving her Master some tea, the older Jedi told her something concerning "Great talent within the force, you are, Young Padawan. But sometimes, caried away by your feelings, you get. Help you, I hope this year can. Yeesssssss." What if it doesn't? What if she fails to serve these students, will she be expelled from the Academy? That wasn't an option, being a Master was Marilla's ultimate goal in life.

"Are you nervous?" Next to Marilla stood her best friend, Aayla Secura a female Twi'lek with blue skin and her own tail heads to match. There were many different species and people within Marilla's class but no one quite as Aayla. She was nice and the best at saber fighting. Marilla had hoped they would get to be Masters together.

"A little bit." she confessed.

"Look at Adi." Adi Gallia, a Tholothian, also their friend, whose skin was at this moment completely livid.

"Never seen her like that before." Marilla giggled.

"Poor thing." Aayla said smiling.

"Oh, if she gets one of those cute humans, she'll be smiling in no time." They both laughed.

"All right students, I think we can start now." Please pay attention. Everyone turned to the fireplace where Professor Lufta Shif was ready to start the pairings. She wore some long robes, much like everyone in Naboo. "Very well," the Professor picked up two bags, a blue and a red one, from above the fireplace "here we have the names for all our finalists and the Jedi guests. We'll start by drawing a name from the Red bag corresponding to the Finalist and then we'll be taking one from the Blue bag which contains the names of Master Yaddle's Padawans." Master Yaddle was beside her in a confortable chair, she was too old to stand. "First of, we have…" Lufta inserted her right hand into the Red bag.

A loud laughter interrupted her doing, as a blue Charigan and ginger boy entered the room. "You're kidding!" the Charigan cried, only to notice the entire room staring back at him. "Ops, sorry…"

"Mr. Amedda… Palpatine…" the Professor said, saying this last name with contempt. "Please take a sit, we're already late."

Noticing Palpatine, Marilla wondered if he was indeed a finalist.

"Marilla!" the Professor announced, her hand out of the blue bag. 'What?' her distraction made her unable to understand who she was paired with. "Marilla, you'll be staying with our intruder Mas over there. Good luck." The Professor smiled at her as Marilla greeted the Charigan in the back. 'Did he just wink at me?'

The pairing "ceremony" dragged on for another hour, as thirty of her friends were paired with thirty other finalists. Palpatine wasn't one of them.

"Alright that concludes this part of our day, please read your notice book about the partnership with these young Jedi learners, we expect you to follow the rules." The Professor smiled "Now, mingle!"

Everyone started to run for his or her respective pairings. Adi, who looked so nervous before, seemed relieved she got a little human girl as her finalist.

"Well, I guess she had nothing to worry about after all." Aayla commented, "See you in a bit Marilla." She stood up to go meet her Iktotchi companion for the year.

Marilla stood there, she was a very shy girl who only got around her problems when she was training in the class room. She looked for approval in Master Yaddle, "The One Below" as some people would call her, signaled her to move forward and with that Marilla went to meet Mas.


	13. Part two: The Past (4)

**Him**

Mas was always the extroverted type, especially with their female counter parts. Palpatine wasn't eligible for his own Jedi "companion", but somehow his best friend was lucky enough to get Marilla. What was it about her that made him so… crazy?

"Hello." She leaned in courtesy.

"Marilla, huh?" Mas said extending his hand, this was to him one of the best parts of being a finalist, having your own kind of servant.

"Yes." She took the hand shaking it.

"This is my friend Palpatine," Mas patted Palpatine on the shoulder "you'll eventually be serving us both, if needed." He chuckled.

"Yes, we've met." Marilla smiled. Palpatine felt his blood rushing up to his cheeks. "What would you like me to do first Master Mas?"

"Master?" Mas laughed once more. "All right… I guess my room needs some cleaning."

"What?" Palpatine rushed to protest. "That's not her job." He recalled the night before. That was her job, sort of.

"It's all right. I'll do it. Just make sure you keep it clean afterwards."

"Okay." Mas said as Marilla exited the room rushing up to his messy place upstairs. "Palpatine!" he said indignant. "You'll get your own Jedi soon enough."

Palpatine grinned, while turning to see Marilla up the stairs talking to some of her fellow Jedi friends, laughing. What a beautiful laugh.

Palpatine's first class of the new year was Naboo's History of Politics. This was a class Palpatine was looking forward to, anything that mentioned power and the Senate, was indeed something he was interested in. Classes such as Galactic Economy or Language Mastery 101, which he had failed once before, were not on his pocket of dedication. Heading to class after breakfast he looked for Mas, but there was no sign of him.

He learned about explorer Kwilaan, who discovered Naboo a long time ago when on a mission for the Republic. The worst part of the class was the inevitable talk of the Gungans and their political relations with the humans of Naboo. Palpatine found these creatures disgusting and one of the main reasons why Naboo wasn't a more developed planet. He told his professor, of his view, but the old man just shrugged and continued on with the class. No one ever listened to him, everybody in TU just saw him as a troublesome boy.

He exited class and went straight to the back garden of the main building. There he found some piece to sit down and draw something. Palpatine loved to be alone, as much as Mas was the fun company he craved for, alone was better. He could focus on his future, hopes and dreams and think about what a busy day wouldn't let him do. To support his thoughtful spirit he would often draw. Usually he would mimic the clouds, or draw planets, but what he really liked to do ware modern designs of new weapons. Not just small laser guns or shooting darts, but actual big explosive things.

"Hey!" he looked behind him. Where Marilla stood holding a few archive books. "Have you seen Master Mas? He asked me to pick up some of these at the library but I can't find him."

There was no explanation for Palpatine's lack of words at that moment. "Huh… I… Haven't. No."

"Oh well… I guess I'll just wait for him in the classroom."

"Huh… That's okay, I can keep them." He volunteered.

"Oh no! It's my duty! I'll do it!" she said smiling.

"But I'm guessing you have to go and write thank you notes for all his holiday girlfriends, so… that's a lot of work just for the day."

"How do you know?" Marilla squinted her eyes.

Mas used to write notes for all these different females he met during his school break. They all stated the same thing "Dear Shadu/Tanyah/Blakey/Lindah/etc…, We spent some serious time together, and I could have never asked for a better week. It so happens, I've been called to attend a decade long mission in Endor where I'll be able to assist defenseless and hungry ewoks. I shall never forget your beautiful eye(s). Please accept this written apology, I know it's not enough to compensate for lost times, but just know that I love you. Yours Truly, Mas."

"I've been there last year, I did them in exchange for a semester of Basic Gungan Dialects homework. There's something about girls and ewoks you know…" Palpatine said.

Marilla laughed at that. "You're very funny, Palpatine!"

He chuckled "Oh, I doubt that."

She sat down next to him. "I guess I'll just rest for a moment. I mean, Mas is probably getting to now the new students." They both laughed. She put the books down next to them. "What are you doing?" She asked looking at a blank paper in front of him; a circle had been drawn onto it.

"Just something I like to do." He said quickly shoving it into his bag.

"Can I see some more?"

This surprised him, why would she ever want to see his drawings.

"I don't have them here."

"Why do I feel like your lying to me?" She bumped him with her left lekku. He stared at it, fascinated. "You can touch it if you want." She said smiling.

"Oh no, that would be - "

"Weird, it's okay. Kids are always asking if they can feel them in the Academy. I'm used to it. A girl even made her hair look like my lekku one time. It was strange but secretly very funny." She giggled.

He pulled his hand away from the grass and touched her purplish lekku. It was soft and warm, and beautiful. There was a pulse running through them, it was her blood and her heart making themselves noticeable through the different parts of her body.

"I think you own me some of your drawings, now." Marilla said winking.

He looked down at his hands and the dirt and grass under them. He went for his bag and took out some random papers. Palpatine immediately regretted it once she picked them up. He had never showed them to anyone, much less an almost stranger.

"Wow! These are really good." She shuffled through some plans of ships and their shooting cannons. She reaches a drawing in blue paper where there's a circle like in the paper before, but this one is painted in greyish and red tones. "What is it?"

Palpatine leaned in to see it.

"Oh… It's a moon."

"Which one?" she asked analyzing the drawing.

"I think it's the second moon of Naboo."

"Did you do it?" her eyes were fixed of the paper.

"Yes…" he said blushing.

"It's beautiful, and it's so simple. You know what I've always wondered?"

Marilla stared at Palpatine, her eyes shining in excitement.

"What if a moon fell on us? Would there be a black hole like when a star dies? I mean, what is there inside the moon? Is it like a planet? For all we know it could be a weapon to all of us… It's just so fascinating…" She looked down to the drawing once more. "I've never been to a moon before."

There was a moment of silence between them. Palpatine thought about her words. A moon… it could be anything, really.

"Can you teach me?"

"What?" he asked pulling away from his trance.

"To draw?"

He looked at her, his heart pounding.

"I guess…"

"Great! We could do it at night, unless you're too busy of course."

"No it's fine." He said.

A bell rang coming from the main building.

"Oh, I have to go. Mas needs these." She picked up the books.

"Wait," he called still siting. "if I teach you to draw could you please tell more me about the Jedi?" More than fascinated by a Togruta, Palpatine was fascinated by the Jedi and the so called Force. This was his chance to learn some more.

"Sure! See you tonight by the Lasay Lake?"

Lasay Lake was a beautiful place of nature a few minutes from campus. Palpatine didn't go there that often. It must be closer to the Jedi's new place. "All right." He smiled.

"It's a date!" she leaned in, like she usually did, and ran towards the building behind them.


	14. Part two: The Past (5)

**Her**

It had been four months since Marilla and Palpatine came to meet for the first time at Lasay Lake. The Jedi had been transferred during the first week to a new house at Master Yaddle's orders. The place was now more comfortable than the community house for the students and closer to the end of campus, very near to the lake. That's why this was the perfect place for their weekly meetings, besides it being quiet and beautiful, it assured Marilla that Palpatine would do everything he could to be with her, even walk a long away from his house to the Lake. It was a bit selfish of her, but as long as she kept it to herself, it was okay to be a tiny bit happy about it.

Marilla and Palpatine were very good friends, Her favorite part of it all, besides Lasey Lake's nightly encounters, was going to meet Mas and finding him instead. Mas and Marilla were also close, but she disapproved of most of his actions, even when he argued 'Palpatine, has done worse!'

"So, what do you think?"

They were sitting on a rock by the lake; she had stuck her lightsaber onto the soil and a blue light spread around them. There were fireflies buzzing all around them and the sound of a near cascade, where the lake became a river. The wind made the willows whisper through their hanging leaves.

She showed him a flower she'd just drawn.

"Amazing! You don't need anymore of my lessons!"

"I don't come here just for the lessons." She said blushing while folding the paper.

They kept quite for a moment, as Marilla observed Palpatine's work. He had been working on this intricate design for a while. Marilla thought it was nothing like his ships or nature elements, but she could tell it was something else.

"So, what is it?"

"I'm not finished…"

"Oh come on, Palpatine. You've been working on that 'circle' for so long, it has to be something important." She grabbed his hands keeping him from adding any more details to the giant circle on the paper.

"I'm not sure what it is exactly."

"Well, it looks like a moon to me." She said smiling, remembering their first conversation. Had he drawn that for her?

"That's the point. But it's more like a… spaceport."

"Really?" She admired the paper tracing the lines with her finger. "And what's that?" she asked pointing at a smaller circle in the middle of the spaceport.

"That's uh… some kind of weapon… like a laser or something. For defense."

"And it could disguise itself as a moon while facing an enemy! Palpatine, that's brilliant!" Marilla patted him on the back.

Palpatine chuckled for a second. "Thank you." He saved the drawing on his bag.

"Hey look what I got you!" she pulled out of her vests a Manual she'd been concealing within the cloth.

It was a leather-bound of "The Jedi Path", Marilla had been teaching Palpatine the ways of the Force. Not how to use it, for she wasn't qualified to do that, but about their history and their legacy. Palpatine said it would be helpful for when he was to become a Senator.

He browsed through the pages carefully. Marilla watched him with a smile on her face. "We use it a lot in class. It's really helpful! You can keep it if you want." She offered.

"No, it's alright. I might just read a few chapters, but I'll return it to you in no time." Palpatine saves the book on his bag. "I guess we're done for today, no?"

"Mmm… actually I was thinking that today we dive into the Dark Side of the Force." She pronounced the last few words in a lower tone followed by an evil laugh and the waving of her hands.

"Really?" he said teasing. "Now, tell me more about it."

"Well," she stared at the lake in front of them admiring the beauty of the place with all the fireflies and the moonlight. "The Force, as we know it, can be manipulated in two different ways. We have the Light Side of the force, which is the work object of us Jedi, and the Dark Side of the Force."

"Who uses the dark side?" Marilla loved Palpatine's questions; he was always so curious and excited.

"They call themselves the Sith."

"The Sith? I have never heard of them."

"Really?" She was surprised. The Sith had once been the most powerful group in the Galaxy and Marilla thought it was common knowledge. "I guess they aren't mentioned much… But they were very powerful once, the Sith Masters especially. They were the Jedi most vicious enemies. Some people believe they're extinct but there are rumors…" she stopped there. In the Academy no one ever mentioned the Sith, they were gone and not worth thinking about. But the Dark Side was taught to the Padawans because they needed to fight the urge to follow it. Marilla thought it to be a good thing to teach Palpatine, but now it seemed as a bad idea. The Sith were not to be tampered with.

Palpatine noticed her stopping. "What rumors?"

"Oh… it's nothing." Marilla smiled. "We should probably stop here. Be back tomorrow?" she stands from the rock.

"No, wait! You can't just stop the lesson there!" he grabbed her hand smiling. "Come on!"

Marilla's body shivered with his touch. "Huh, well I don't really know many details. But why don't we save it for tomorrow, I'll try and get Adi or Aayla to tell me more about it." She smiled again. Before she turned completely to leave, she looked down at Palpatine's bag. "Hey, can I keep your drawing?"

"The spaceport?"

"Yeah, the spaceport moon!" she said while removing her lightsaber from the dirt.

Plapatine shuffled through his bag and got the drawing out. "Sure, Why not?" he smiled.

Marilla admired it in her hands. "Actually, now that I think about it, it looks a little bit more like a star." She walked away disappearing within the willows.


End file.
